Garment hanger guards



June 5, 1962 H. B. TILLERY ETAL 3,037,676 I GARMENT HANGER GUARDS Filed July 30. .1959

M L PAZ/@Ji 3,037,676 GENT HANGER GUARDS Hubert E. Tillery and Luther D. Tillery, Kansas City, Mo., assignors to Tillery Container Company, Kansas City, Mo., a partnership Filed .Iuly 30, 1959, Ser. No. 830,495 2 Claims. (Cl. 223-98) The present invention relates broadly to garment hangers and more specilically to an improved guard therefor upon which may readily be supported dresses, blouses, coats and the like.

The conventional wire hanger tends to distort or impart to a garment, such as a coat or dress, a crease or fold line along the shoulder portion, if the garment remains on the hanger `for any appreciable period of time. Numerous efforts have been directed towards the design and fabrication of guards for wire hangers for the sole purpose of supporting garments thereon without wrinkling or marring their appearance. Such guards have not, for one reason or another, proven to be entirely satisfactory,

'as in many instances the guards have been more or less rigidly secured to the hanger land thus have not provided a resilient cushion-like support for the garment.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a garment hanger having a guard mounted thereon in spaced relation thereto for resiliently supporting a garment.

Another object is to provide a garment hanger guard formed from a single piece of material for covering the inclined side portions of the hanger.

Another object is to provide a garment hanger guard formed from a single piece of material with its ends folded and fastened for pivotal movement beneath the side portions of the hanger.

A further object is to provide a unitary garment hanger guard that has its ends fastened together beneath the side portions of the hanger for positioning the guard in spaced relation to the top and side portions of the hanger.

A further object is to provide a guard having an opening in the center for a hanger hook and with its ends joined together beneath lthe side portions of the hanger for retaining the guard in proper position on the hanger to receive and support a garment.

A still further object is to provide a garment hanger guard that is configured to provide a relatively broad surface for supporting a garment without creases forming therein.

Still further objects are to provide a garment hanger guard that is constructed so that a number may be nested together for packing and shipping, which is economical of manufacture and effective in use.

Other objects and advantages, more or less auxiliary to the foregoing in the manner in which all of the various objects are realized will appear in the following description which, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing, sets forth the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational |View showing the guard of the present invention positioned upon a garment hanger;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view showing the garment hanger guard in a liat position;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a fragmentary portion of the guard shown in FIG- URE l;

FIGURE 4 is an elevational view of one end portion of the guard and garment hanger, the view being taken on the plane 4-4 of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged view of a fragmentary end portion of a modified guard;

3,@3757@ Patented June 5, 1962 FIGURE 6 is an end elevational view of the modified guard of FIGURE 5 mounted upon a hanger;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of a fragmentary portion of the guard and garment hanger shown in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a vertical sectional View of a fragmentary end portion of another modification of the guard; and

FIGURE 9 is a bottom plan view of the modified guard shown in FIGURE 8.

Referring to FIGURE l of the drawing, there is shown a conventional garment hanger formed from a single strand of wire and comprising a horizontal rod or bar portion 14 that terminates in curved or arcuate end segments 15 from which extend upwardly the inclined shoulder portions or side members 16. The side members 16 have projecting inwardly at their upper ends a horizontal neck or top portion 17 from which extends upwardly therefrom the supporting hook 18. The horizontal top portion, side members and curved end segments of the garment hanger are adapted to be covered by the guard 20 of the present invention.

The guard 2d is preferably formed from relatively stiff material, such as thick paper stock, cardboard, molded paper pulp, or the like, and while in a slightly moist or dampened condition is subjected to the action of a suitable die or mandrel. The die or mandrel is designed to produce a guard having an arcuate or semi-circular formation in cross section, FIGURES 4 and 6.

In the forming operation, the guard 2li has a longitudinally extending slot 21 formed in the center portion 22 thereof through which the hook 18 of the hanger is adapted to project. The center portion 22 of the guard, adjacent the slot 21; is subjected to a scoring action or the action of cooperating dies to produce a scoring or creasing 23--24 which are oppositely disposed from a scoring or creasing 2526. The scoring or creasing 2.3-2.5-24-26 terminates short of the central longitudinal portion of the guard and tends to deiine weakened areas or segments 27-28, FIGURE 3, that project inwardly a short distance from the side edges of the guard.

The guard 20, as shown in FIGURE 2, is formed with rounded or curved end segments or tabs 30 and 31, although it is readily apparent that said ends may be square or of any other suitable configuration. It is to be noted that the end segments 30 and 311 are disposed on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of the guard. The portion of the guard adjacent each tab or end segment 30 and 31 is subjected to a scoring action or to the action of suitable cooperating male and female die members to produce a creasing or scoring 32. The scoring or creasing 32 is semi-circular or of arcuate configuration, FIGURE 2, and extends from one side edge to the other side edge of the guard. The arcuate scoring or creasing 32 at each end of the guard 20 has extending from approximately the middle portion thereof a score or crease line 33 which terminates at each of the side edges of the guard. The score lines 33 radiate from the central portion of the arcuate crease 32 in planes that are substantially tangential thereto and d eiine segments or areas 34 that are between said arcuate crease 32 and the score lines 33 and the side edges of the guard, FIGURES 2 and 4.

The guard 20 of the present invention is readily placed upon the garment hanger by simply inserting the hook 18 of the hanger through the slot 21 and then moving the guard downwardly until the center portion 22 thereof engages the horizontal neck or top portion 17 of the hanger. 'Ihe guard is then bent at the weakened areas 27 and 28 which coincide substantially with the juncture of the horizontal top portion 17 and the inclined side or shoulder portions 16 of the hanger so that the guard will be positioned along but in spaced relation to the side members `145.

The end segments or tabs 30 and 31, at each end of the guard, are then pressed towards one another to dene a fold line 36, FIGURES 3 and 4, along a portion of the longitudinal axis of the guard. The end segments 30 and 31 are next pivoted or flexed about the scoring 32 and moved more or less towards the bottom face of the guard that is positioned adjacent the side members 16 of the hanger. This pivotal movement of the end segments 30 and 31 causes the end portions of the guard to fold along the crease lines 33 so that the areas 34, defined by the scoring 32 and crease lines 33, will pivot about the scoring 32 beneath the side portions of the guard 21 and be in a plane substantially parallel to and slightly spaced from the lower or bottom face of the guard, =FIGUlRES 1 and 4.

The pivotal movement of the end segments 30 and 31 about the scoring 32 causes the fold line 36 of the end of the guard to engage the curved or rounded end segments 15 of the hanger and at the same time the segments 30 and 31 are positioned between the inclined side members |16 and the horizontal rod 14 of the hanger. The inner or coacting faces of the segments 30 and 31 may be coated with any suitable adhesive 35 for securing said segments together between said rod 14 and side members 16. In lieu of an adhesive, the segments 30 and 31 may be secured together by brad, staple or any suitable fastening means, not shown, which will insure the retention of the guard upon the hanger.

The portion of the guard V20 between the scoring 32 and the weakened areas 27 and 28, respectively, is of a length greater than the length of the side or shoulder members 16 of the hanger, so that with the segments 30 and 31 of the guard secured together between the rod 14 and the side members `16, the center portion 22 of the guard will be held in Ispaced relation with respect to the top portion :17 of the hanger, as shown in FIGURE 1. When a garment, such as -a dress, blouse, or the like, is placed upon the hanger having the guard thereon, the center portion of the guard 22 as well as the side portions or segments thereof, will be forced down towards the top and shoulder portions of the hanger. This movement of the guard towards the hanger causes the segments 30 and 31 to have a pivoting action between the rod 14 and the side members 16 as the length of the side portions of the guard causes the lower portions thereof, or the part nearest the segments 30 and 311, to move slightly beyond the curved ends 15 of the hanger.

The pivoting action of the segments 30 and 31 can be attributed, more or less, to the scoring 32 and crease lines 33. When the segments 30 and 31 are secured together, any movement of the top and side portions of the guard towards the complementary parts of the hanger will cause the lower or bottom end portions of the guard to ex about said scoring and creasing and thereby move the segments 34 of said end portions of the guard beneath the guard, FIGURES 1 and 4. This pivotal movement of the segments 34 and the end segments 30 and 31 about the score and crease lines provides the guard with a resilient or cushioning action as the weight of the garment forces the guard towards the hanger. Thus, the guard and garment are supported in somewhat buoyant manner due to the resilient or exing action of the lower end portions of the guard and when the garment is removed from the hanger the guard is returned to its substantially original position, as shown in FIGURE l. The slot 21 in the central portion of the guard is of such a size as to permit the guard to have a relatively free sliding movement on the hook portion of the hanger, thereby insuring that the guard will not be impeded in its movement towards and from the top and side portions of the hanger.

The modified guard 40, shown in FIGURES -7, is identical in all respects to guard 20 of FIGURES 2-3, with the exception of the end portions thereof. The end portions of the guard 40, yFIGURE 5, of which only one is shown, as the ends are identical, is subjected to a cutting or stamping operation to provide an arcuate shaped cut 41, the ends of which terminate inwardly of the sides of the guard so that folds or creases 42 may be provided in the guard extending from the ends of the cut to the sides of the guard. The central portion of the guard 40 along the longitudinal axis between the end and the arcuate cut 41, FIGURE 5, is removed during the cutting or stamping operation to provide a pair of end segments or tabs 44 and 45 which are pivotally connected to the body of the guard along the fold or crease lines 42. Each of the tabs or segments 44 and 45 are provided with opposed notches 46 and `47 disposed along the inner and outer edges thereof, FIGURE 5.

The ymodified guard 40 is positioned upon a hanger in the same manner as guard 20 and the end segments 44 and 45 are bent or exed about the fold or crease lines 42 until one overlaps the other and both are in a plane substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of the guard. The segments 44 and 45 are then joined together by any suitable means, such as an adhesive, staple, brad or the like, and when so joined the notches 46 and 47 of each segment will be in aligned relation so as to engage the side members 16 Vand the horizontal rod 14 of the garment hanger. Thus, when a garment is placed upon the guard 40, the sides and top of the guard in their movement towards the side and top portions of the hanger will cause the end segments 44 and 45 to pivot or ex about the fold lines 42 and the notched portions 46 and 47 of the end segments will move along the side members 16 andthe horizontal rod 14 of the hanger. This flexing of the end segments 44 and 45 imparts a cushioning or resilient action to the movement of the guard towards the hanger and when the garment is removed the guard will be flexed or forced back to its initial position.

In the modified lform shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, the guard 50 has secured to its respective ends a stiff tape 51. The tape 51 may be secured to the rod 14 of the hanger by twisting same thereabout or the tape may be looped over said rod and the free end of the tape secured, by any suitable means, to the portion of the tape adjacent the guard, so as to hold the center portion of the guard 5t) in spaced relation to the top portion of the hanger in much the same manner as `shown in FIGURE l with respect to guard 20. The guard 50 of FIGURE 8, when positioned upon a hanger, will impart a resilient or cushioning action to a garment placed thereupon in much the same manner as guards 20 and 40.

It is to be realized that the guard as shown in the present application is capable of having various and sundry end configurations, all of which would fall within the scope of the present invention and result in the flexing or pivoting of the guard about the end segments and also in imparting a resilient or cushioning action to a garment that is placed upon the guard and hanger.

What `is claimed is:

l. A guard for a garment hanger embodying a hook centrally disposed in a horizontal neck portion with downwardly inclined side portions having their lower ends integrally connected by a horizontally extending rod portion, comprising a sheet of relatively stiff material curved transversely of its length and having a slot in the center portion for receiving said hook, a plurality of spaced weakened areas formed in the center portion of said sheet by score lines to allow said sheet to conform to the horizontal neck and side portions of the hanger, the portion of said sheet corresponding to the sides of the hanger being of `a greater length than said sides of said hanger, an arcuate shaped score line formed in each end portion of said sheet extending from the central portion of the sheet toward the edges thereof, said score line `defining a tab extending from the score line to the end of said sheet, portions of said tab lying on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said sheet, the portions of the tab on each side of the longitudinal axis being engageable with one another intermediate the side and horizontal rod portions of said hanger and means on said tab for retaining the portions of said tab in engagement with one another for holding said sheet upon the hanger.

2. A guard for a garment hanger embodying a hook centrally disposed in a horizontal -neck portion with downwardly inclined side portions having their lower ends curved and integrally connected by a horizontally extending rod portion comprising a sheet of relatively stii material curved transversely of its length and having a slot in the center portion for receiving said hook, a. plurality of spaced weakened areas formed in the center portion of said sheet by score lines to allow said sheet to conform to the horizontal and side portions of the hanger, the portion of said sheet corresponding to the sides of the hanger being of a greater length than said sides of the hanger, `said sheet having a plurality of score lines formed in each end portion thereof with certain of the score lines in each end portion radiating from the central portion of a common score line towards the end of said sheet to dene a tab between the radiating score line and the end of the sheet and segments between the radiating score lines and the common score line with portions of said tab lying on opposite sides of the longitudinal `axis of said sheet, said end portions of the sheet ibeing folded on said score lines to position said segments beneath the side portions of said sheet with said tabs completely enclosing the curved ends of the hanger and means on said portions of said tab for retaining said portions of said tab in engagement with one another to retain the ends of said sheet upon the hanger.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,107,003 Johnson Feb. l, 1938 2,123,369 Luecke July l2, 1938 2,178,965 Johnson Nov. 7, 1939 2,434,461 Forcheimer Jan. 13, 1948 2,873,064 Zintel Feb. 10, 1959 

